Sewing-machine needle.



A'. G. BRADLEY. SEWING MAOHINE NEEDLE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1908-.'

Patented Sept. 22, 1908.

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.vention being to provide ALICE G. BRADLEY, OF EDWARDSYILLE, ILLINOIS.

SEWING-MACHINE NEEDLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALICE G. BRADLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edin the county of Madison and State of Illinois, have invented new and use ful Improvements in Sewing-Machine Needles, of which the following is, a specification. This invention relates to improvements in sewing machine needles, the object ofthe instruction of longitudinally-slitte needle and panying drawing, in which means for holding the movable side of the split needle closed and which will readily yield toadapt the needle to be easily threaded.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully. described and claimed, reference being had to the acconr- Flgure 1 is a front elevation a plication of the needle to the lower end of t e needle bar. Fi 2 is a side view of the same, with the needIe clamp shown in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a side view of the needle on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is ahoriiontal section through the clamping device.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the butt of the needle, 2 its shank, 3 the point of the needle, and 4 the eye or thread opening disposed in the shank adj acent its' point. In accordance with my invention, the shank 2 is longitudinally slit on I through the comparatively small eye 4,, as' isa central line intersecting the eye 4, thusseparating the'shank into a body portion 5 '1nte-' gral at its upper end with the butt 1 and a movable or flexible arm or portion 5, which is adapted, through its resiliency, to-sprmg at its upper or free end away from the portion 5,

leaving an intervening s ace 7 through which the thread may be passe downwardly into the eye 4, thus enabling the needle to be threaded in a convenient manner without the necessity of resorting to the delicate operation of passing the end of the thread transversely necessary with needles of ordinary construction.

Above the free end of the arm 6, the base of the butt 1 is beveled or cut away at an incline, as at 4*, and the adjacent portion of the arm is beveled or rounded, as at 6', thus forming an intervening flaring guide entrance 7 for the ready introduction of the thread into the space 7. The butt 1 is adapted to be inserted in the usualmanner into the receiving socket 9 at'the lower end of the nee- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application: filed February 19, 1908.

an im roved con showing the Patented Sept; 22, 1908.

Serial No. 416,738.

dle bar 10, which is screw 11 to clamp the mg which socket is a u 1) splitclam ing' ring or co ar Thisring or collar,w ii'ch is made provided with a set} A butt therein, surround-j.

of "suitable spring metal, is provided at its free ends with cars 13 adapted to receive adjusting screws 14, by which it may be fitted in position firmly enough to insure retention while easily enough to permit of adjustment.

At the side opposite the ears 13 the ring or band is formed with a slot or recess 15, openingthrough its upper edge, for the passage of the boss. 11 a through which the set-screw 11 extends; whereby the collar may be ap'-' plied and removed without interference from the boss or screw. Formed upon the collar or hand and projecting downwardly therefrom is a spring guard finger 16, which engages the upper end of the arm or mo-vable portion 6 of the shank and holds said portion or arm, thus preventing upward movement of the thread inserted in the eye 4 and keepingthe parts of the shank in close abutting relation for the free passage of the needle without interference through the goods. The free end of this finger is preferably bent or curved outwardly from the arm 6 for passage of the thread to the entrance 7*.

It will be understood that-the spring finger 16 normally holds the spring arm 6 of the needleclosed, as shown in Fig. 2, and that the construction of the collar permits of the relaxation of the set screw 11 for disconnection of the needle and substitution of a different needle therefor without interfering with the collar, and without the necessity of removing or adjusting the same. In the operation of threading the needle, the thread is first forced u ward bet-ween the outwardly bent end of tffe finger 16 and the upper end of the arm 6 into the space between, said finger and the beveled surface 4, and then forced downward through the flaring en-' trance 7 into the passage7, the finger 16 being resilient enough to permit the arm 6 to yield outward under the andconveniently threaded than needles of ordinary construction, and may be readily threaded by; those having impaired eyesight,

'or even the blind.- The needle. and collar may further be employed upon the needle I pressure of thethread, and finally the threadis' moved bars of rnachinesof any ordinary construc- -l-laving thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is zlhe combination with a needle bar-having a socket, and a clamping screw projectin at right angles therefrom, a needle adapte to fi t within said socket and to be clamped by said screw, said needle being provided with an eye and a shank s lit longitudinally to form a free portion an a assage leading to said eye, a split collar inc osing said socket and provid'edwith a notch or-recess opposite its split'portion for the passage of the screw,

said recess opening through the upper edge 15 thereof, and a spring finger on said collar adapted to en age and hold said free portion of the needle 0 osed against the fixed portion of the shank.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 20 in presence of two witnesses.

ALICE G. BRADLEY.

Witnesses:

E. B. GLASS, M. B. KANE. 

